Hydraulic duplicating shaping and turning attachment for lathes



1951 M. TURCHAN EI'AL 2,538,604 HYDRAULIC DUPLICATING SHAPING AND TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19, 1945 Jan. 16, 1951 M. TURCHAN ET AL HYDRAULIC DUPLICATING SHAPING AND TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES Filed Nov. 19, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cuer/s /auae HTTOIQIVC) Jan. 16, 1951 M TURCHAN ETAL 2,538,604

HYDRAULIC DU PLICATING SHAPING AND TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES 4- SheetsSheet 3 Filed NOV. 19, 1945 faw /2mm Jan. 16, 1951 M. TURCHAN EI'AL 2,538,604

HYDRAULIC DUPLICATING SHAPING AND TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR;LATHES Filed Nov. 19, 1945 4 Sheets Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 16, 1951 HYDRAULIC DUPLICATING SHAPING AND TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES Manuel Turcha Dearborn, and Curtis Walker,

\ Detroit, Mich.

Application November 19, 1945, Serial No. 629,492

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination hydraulic duplicating shaper and lathe attachment, more particularly the invention relates to an attachment for a lathe incorporating a tracer mechanism operatively engageable with a model to transmit corresponding lathe and shaper feed movements to a cutting tool relative to a work piece.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a lathe attachment for controlling work turning operationsas well as shaping operations.

It is the object of this invention to provide longitudinal and cross feed fluid metering valves, a directional control valve, and a reverse valve, together with a telescoping control panel therefor.

It is the further object herein to provide separately operable hydraulic limit valves in conjunction with automatic reverse valves for the longitudinal and for the cross feed cylinders.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a directional control valve for changing tracer control from one cylinder to the other, and constant pressure fluid from one cylinder to the other.

It is the, further object of this invention to provide a valve in conjunction with the tracer for automatically effecting a reversal of the tracer control during the inoperative return feed movement of the control cylinder not under tracer control.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with theappended drawings of which:

Fig. 1 1s a fragmentary elevational view of the lathe attachment.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a right end elevational view thereof, and

Fig, 4 is a right endelevational view of the model showninFig. l. I

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic mechanisms therefor and their connections; while Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing the tracer adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 1 including the means of holding the tracer stem against rotation.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the limit valves shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the other of the limit valves shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail elevation illustrating the telescoping panel and the controls for the metering valves, directional control valve, and reversing mechanism.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely one preferable embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set out.

Referring to the drawings, a lathe is shown in Fig. 1 with legs I I and formed chip pan 12 thereon. Lathe bed l3, best seen in Fig. 3, is carried by said legs and is adapted to slidably support longitudinally reciprocable carriage l 4 in its ways I 5 and I6.

Bracket l1, Figs. 2 and 3, on carriage l4 and U-shaped cross feed cylinder supporting bracket I8 secured thereto, provide therebetween a rigid support for stationary piston rod l9 bolted at 20.

Cross feed cylinder 2| is adapted for reciprocal movement relatively to a stationary piston therein which is secured to rod l9. Said cylinder carries a transverse plate 22 which is slidably mounted upon the upper edges of bracket I8.

Tracer supporting angle plate 23 mounted on plate 22 has a dovetail slot 24 therein within which is positioned vertically adjustable tracer housing support 25. Vertical adjusting screw 25' supported within angle plate 23, threadably engages tracer support 25 for effecting manual vertical adjustments thereof. Said support is hollow to adjustable receive exteriorly threaded tracer barrel 26, which may be locked in any adjusted position therein by screws 21.

Longitudinal tracer adjusting wheel 28 has an interiorly threaded hub 29 adapted for threaded engagement with tracer barrel 26. Said hub has an annular flange 30 retained by recessed portion 3| forming a part of tracer support 25 as shown in Fig. 6, whereby rotation of hand wheel 28 will effect longitudinal adjustments of the tracer relative to its support with screws'2l loosened.

Referring to Fig. 3 cross feed movements of cylinder 2| are imparted to cross slide 32 by interconnecting tie bar 33. Said cross slide transversely and slidably mounted on longitudinally adjustable carriage l4 with dovetail connection 34, carries top slide 35 transversely adjustable thereon and carrying tool holder 36 with cutting tool 31.

Stationary longitudinal feed cylinder 38 is mounted within hollow bracket 39 carried by lathe bed l3, and secured within said bracket by its outer end to carriage bracket 42 by nut 43 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lathe drive head 44 has a rotatable'work spindle 45 carrying face plate 46 to which is secured work piece 41. Gear 48 on spindle 45 meshes with idler gear 49 on stud 50, which in turn meshes with gear 6| loosely journaled on model supporting shaft Said shaft which rotatably carries face plate 53 and model 54 secured thereto, is in turn rotatably mounted within auxiliary head 55 secured to lathe head 44. For turning operations and reproduction of substantially circular or regular surfaces, gear carrying indexing plate 56 is rotatably secured to shaft 52 by pin 51. Gears 48 and 5| being the same size, work piece 41 and model 54 will rotate in unison.

Under some conditions where the work is regular in shape or in its surface variations, it may be desirable to employ merely a sector of the model, as, for instance, a 90-degree sector. Thus after a 90-degree shaping operation, it is necessary to effect a 90-degree rotation, for instance, of said model sector relative to its supporting shaft 52.

Pin 51 must be withdrawn and likewise pin 58 which extends into a corresponding opening in indexing plate 56. Pin 58 is slidably mounted within housing 59 on face plate 53, and is urged into the index plate opening by a suitable cam on the lower end of manually rotatable shaft 69. Any suitable means may be employed for effecting movement of pin 58 to the right on release of said cam, as for instance a spring. Model.

sector 54 is then free to rotate 90 degrees, for instance, relative to gear 5|, at which point pin 58 is again manually projected to the left within another corresponding opening in index plate 56, and pin 51 reinserted.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, tracer barrel 26 has a valve housing 6| within which is a fluid control piston movable therein in response to movements of the tracer spindle.62 which engages said piston, and which projects outwardly from said barrel, terminating in tracer tip 63. The detail of operation and construction of said tracer is fully set out in applicants Patent Number 2,386,825 dated Oct. 16, 1945, entitled Tracer Mechanism, and also in applicant's co-pending application Serial Number 366,082 filed Nov. 18, 1940, entitled Profiling and Contouring Tracer Mechanism, Hydraulic Connections and Directional Control, now Patent No. 2,390,566, dated December 11, 1945.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 7, it will be noted that bracket 26' is secured to and carried by tracer barrel 26. Arm 21, swivel mounted on bracket 26', has a transverse pin 62' extending therefrom and through elongated transverse slot 63' within spindle 62. Pin 62 has a sliding fit within slot 63' whereby longitudinal movement of spindle 62 is permitted at the same time preventing any rotary movement thereof relative to its barrel housing 26.

With the directional control valve 64, Fig. 1, manually set by hand wheel 65 so that there is constant longitudinal feeding of carriage 4, it will be seen that reactions of tracer tip 63 to the interior surface of model 54 will effect corresponding movements of spindle 62 and the fluid control piston within tracer valve housing 6|.

Movements of said valve piston in one direction or the other will effect corresponding cross feed movements of cross feed cylinder 2| so that the 65 cross feed movement of the shaping tool 31 will correspond to similar movements of the tracer tip 63 relative to the surface of the model.

It will be understood that for many shaping operations of the type illustrated in the drawing, reciprocal feed movements of the carriage will be relatively constant with tracer control being directed to the cross feed cylinder governing cross feed movements of the lathe cross slide which carries shaping tool 31. Should it be desired to change constant pressure fluid feeding to the cross feed cylinder, and tracer controlled feeding to the longitudinal feed cylinder, it is necessary to rotate handle 65 of the directional control valve degrees. If it is desired to place tracer control again in the cross feed cylinder but in the opposite direction to its initial setting above, it is necessary to rotate directional control valve hand wheel 65 another 90 degrees. Again, if it is desired to place tracer control in the longitudinal feed cylinder but in the opposite direction, it is necessary to effect another 90 degree rotation of the directional control hand wheel.

In other words, it appears that the direction of tracer action controlling a feed cylinder is reversed by a degree rotation of the directional control valve hand wheel. At the same time constant feeding of the other cylinder is reversed in direction. The detail and operation of the directional control valve 64 is fully set out in applicant's Patent No. 2,374,714 dated May 1, 1945, entitled Directional Control and Reverse Valve.

The diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic connections for the longitudinal and cross feed cylinders is shown in Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. 5, hydraulic unit 66 with a suitable storage sump, has a fluid pump therein for delivering fluid under pressure through conduits 61 and 68, 69 and 10.

Fluid line 61 goes to intake port 1| on tracer housing 6|. Movement of the control valve in housing 6| directs tracer controlled fluid out through either conduit 12 or .12 to directional control valve 64, with exhaust fluid returning in the other thereof.

Fluid under pressure is also delivered to the directional control valve through conduit 68 which is independent of the tracer and is adapted to effect constant feeding of one cylinder or the other. Exhaust fluidfrom the cylinder under constant feeding is returned to the directional control valve and back to the hydraulic unit through line 13.

There are four lines-I4, l5, l6 and 11- adapted to deliver fluid to or receive fluid from the opposite ends oflongitudinal feed cylinder 38 and cross feed cylinder 2|. One cylinder, as for instance cross feed cylinder 2|, will receive tracer controlled fluid at one end through line 16, with exhaust fluid returning to the directional control valve through line 11. A ISO-degree turn of hand wheel 65 of the directional control valve will result in tracer controlled fluid delivery through line 1'! with exhaust returning in line 16.

With the cross feed cylinder under tracer control, the longitudinal feed cylinder 38 governing feed movements of the carriage M will receive constant pressure fluid from the directional control valve through line 14 with exhaust from the other side of the piston returning to the directional control valve through conduit 15. It will be noted that a 180degree turn of hand wheel will reverse the fluid so that pressure fluid 1 is delivered to line and exhausted through line 14.

In operation, it is desirable to effect an automatic reversal of direction of movement of the cylinder under constant feeding. This is accomplished by a hydraulic limit valve I45 for carriage feed cylinder 38 and hydraulic limit valve 91 for cross slide actuating cylinder 2|. Each limit valve consists of a hollowvalve housing 18 supported on lathe bed I3, and having a pair of interior annular grooves 19 and 88 formed therein. Valve piston 8| is slidably positioned within housing 18 and has a pair of oppositely extending rods 82 which project out through central openings in said housing. Annular openings 83,84 and 85 are formed in piston 8|.

Fluid under pressure is continuously supplied to valve I45 through line 69 which joins pressure line 58. Spaced dogs 88- and 81 adjustably secured to and depending from carriage I4 in spaced relation are adapted to alternately engage the ends of rods 82 on valve piston 8|, to project the latter either to the right or to the left at the end of a predetermined carriage feed stroke.

Depending upon the positioning of piston 8|, pressure fluid from opening 84 is directed either to opening 19 for direction out line 88 or to opening 88 for direction out line 89. Lines 88 and 89 join opposite sides of rotary vane reverse valve housing 98. Said valve is interposed between cylinder lines 14 and 15 and may be cut in meat by three-way hand valves 9|.

Automatic reverse valve I45 is intended to reverse the direction of feeding of cylinder 38 at the efid of a predetermined stroke of the carriage actuated thereby. This is aco plished by the dogs 86 and 81 which are adap ed to alternately engage hydraulic limit valve I45 which in, turn rotates reverse valve 98 one way or the other.

This reversal is automatic and requires no action of the directional control valve.

For instance, with the tracer controlling a reversal of feed of cross feed cylinder 2|, it is seen that reverse valve 98 controls the automatic reversal of the longitudinal carriage feed. In the event that it is desired to place tracer control in the longitudinal cylinder 38 by a 90-degree rotation of the directional control-valve hand wheel 85, it is seen that the automatic reverse valve 98must be cut out, and this is done manually by-actuating the three-way hand valves 9|.

Thus fluid travels to and from said cylinder directly through lines 14 and 15.

As before mentioned, in automatically controlling the reversal of the longitudinal feed cylinder, fluid is delivered from the limit valve I45 out either line 88 or 89, and exhaust from one or the other is directed to exhaust port 85 or 83. for return to the hydraulic unit through exhaust line 92. Without describing details, automatic reverse valve 93 is similar to automatic reverse valve 98, and is interposed between fluid lines 18 and 11 which are adapted to deliver and exhaust fluid to and from cross feed cylinder 2|, with three-way handvalves 94 provided to either cut in or out said reverse valve.

Similarly, said reverse valve is rotatably actuated by fluid from either line 95 or 98 from opposite ends of limit valve 91. It is seen from Fig. 3 that the fluid controlling piston 98 in said limit valve is alternately positioned at one end or the other of limit valve 91 by spaced dogs- 99 which dependfrom movable cross feed cylinder 2| to alternately engage nut I88 on movable shaft I 8| which is coupled to limit valve piston 98.

. 6 Fluid pressure line 18 supplies fluid to limit valve 91 and exhaust fluid therefrom is directed through exhaust line I82 which joins exhaust line 92. If cross feed cylinder 2| is to be tracer controlled, which is most likely in the present disclosure, the three-way valves 94 are manually turned to cut out automatic reverse valve 93 inasmuch as the reversal of the cross feed cylinder is reverse valve 98 being effective to obtain automatic reversals of feed movements of cutter 31 and tracer 83 on carriage I4 relatively to work piece 41 and model respectively.

Where a shaping operation is indicated, as where it is desired to form longitudinal grooves in a work piece, it is seen that under tracer control the cross feed cylinder will efiect the neces-' sary displacements of the tracer and cutter throughout the operative longitudinal strokes thereof as said work piece and model are slowly rotated in unison or indexed.

It is desirable to project "the cutter and tracer all the way into the recess to be shaped and to effect tracing and shaping action on the outward longitudinal movement of said cutter and tracer.

To accomplish this, it is necessary for the tracer and cutter to fall away from the work piece and pattern toward the central axes thereof at the end of the outward cutting and tracing stroke, so that on the automatic return stroke said cutter and tracer will be free of said work piece and pattern, and free thereof only until the end of said inoperative return stroke.

This is accomplished by a valve-mechanismbracket I89. The other end of lever I81 engages piston rod 8 which projects from the tracer control valve piston. By supplying fluid under pressure through line I to housing I83, piston I84 is projected to the right compressing spring I85, and tilting lever I81. -The latter efiects a movement of tracer valve rod I I8 causing a tracer valve movement which has the effect of reversing the normal tendency of the tracer so that the tracer tip 83 and the cutter 31 are projected away from the model and work piece'respectively to a limited extent. As soon as the fluid pressure in line III is released, piston I84 returns to its normal position under action of spring I85, which in turn permits lever I81 and tracer valve rod I I8 to return to their normal position for feeding towards the work piece.

Pressure fluid is supplied to line II I through rocal telescoping control panel I2I.

7 joins lines III, H2 and H3 sothat either line H2 or II3 may becut out.

While the cross feed cylinder is under tracer control, it is desirable for the tracer and tool to move away from the work for and during the return stroke of the carriage. Therefore hand valve I I4 is turned to cut out line H3 and fluid is supplied to line I II from line H2 only during the return stroke of carriage cylinder 38, which return is regulated by the fluid in line 89 from limit valve I 45.

As soon as limit valve rod 82 is actuated at the end of the return stroke, fluid pressure is cut off in line 89 resulting in a fluid pressure drop in corresponding lines H2 and I I I. Thus it is seen that line I II and valve I03 are actuated only during the inoperative return stroke of the carriagc and are released at the end of said return stroke. As the reciprocal movements of the carriage are continuous it will be seen that the cutter 31 takes continuous longitudinal passes a relative to work piece 47 which is very slowly indexed in the manner above described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, metering valve supporting plate II5 secured by screws Hi to lathe drive head 44, carries longitudinal feed cylinder metering valve In, and cross feed cylinder metering valve II8, whereby the speed of the cylinder feed movements may be regulated.

' Directional control valve 64 with its reversing mechanism H9 is carried by head 44 with supporting bracket I interposed. Telescoping control panel I2I positioned in spaced relation from said metering valves is supported in the following manner. Manually rotatable handle I22 journaled within a corresponding opening in panel I2I is secured to metering valve control shaft I23 with retaining collar I 24 thereon. Said shaft is slidably keyed to and extends within metering valve actuating tube I25 which projects through bracket H5 and into metering valve H8.

Similarly handle I26 is also journaled in panel I2I and secured to a corresponding metering valve control shaft which likewise is slidably keyed within a second tube for rotatably controlling metering valve II'I.

Panel I2I also rotatably journals directional control valve shaft I2! which carries hand wheel and retaining collars I23. Shaft I2! is slidably keyed within tube I29 which is secured at its outer end to the directional control valve rotary member 64.

Reverse valve II 9 secured to and forming a part of directional control'valve G4 has a rotatable member I39 whichprojects therefrom with gear I3I secured thereto by nut I32. Gear I3I meshes with gear I33 retained by nut I34 on the end of hollow rotatable tube I35, which is journaled through bracket II5. Reverse valve shaft:

I36 with handle I 31 is also rotatably journaled at one end within telescoping panel I2I, with its other end being slidably keyed within reverse valve actuating tube I35..

Thus it is seen that the two metering valve shafts I23, directional control valve shaft I21, and reverse valve shaft I36 are all rotatably jour naled within and secured to longitudinally recip- The free ends of said rotatable shafts are slidably keyed within rotatable tubes I 25, I28, and, I35 respectively, whereby said. metering valves, directional control valve and reverse valve may lie 113811113111 Iii] controlled remotely. Slidable panelefll permits the operator to stand in difierenL-positions relative to the lathe bed, and still have convenient manual access to said panel and the control knobs thereon.

To maintain said panel against-bending, shaft [38 is secured to panel I2I and slidably extends through a corresponding supporting tube or hollow member I39 which is supported at one end within bracket H5 and at its other end within bracket I Ml carried by lathe head 44. A plurality of rollers III are carried on the inner surface of tube I38 in spaced relation and interposed between said tube and reciprocal panel supporting shaft I38, whereby friction is minimized and possible freezing of the two members eliminated.

Having described my invention, reference is made to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

We claim:

1. In a lathe having a carriage and a cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison; a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive to a constant fluid delivery source, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and. responsive to a variable tracer controlled fluid, a hydraulic limit valve including a reciprocal control element oppositely engageable by said carriage for selectively delivering a pressure fluid, a direction reverse valve interconnecting said source and said carriage motor and responsive to pressure fluid from said limit valve, hydraulic tracer reversing valve means adapted to be energized only during the inoperative return stroke of said carriage, and a fluid conduit interconnecting said limit valve and said valve means.

2. In a lathe having a carriage and a cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison; a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive to a constant fluid delivery source, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and responsive to a variable tracer controlled fluid, a hydraulic limit valve including a reciprocal control element oppositely engageable by said carriage for selectivelydelivering a pressure fluid, a direction reverse valve interconnecting said source and said carriage motor and responsive to pressure fluid from said limit valve, a valve housing, movable means in said housing operatively engageable with said tracer for reversing the operation thereof, and a fluid conduit interconnecting said limit valve and said housing said movable means being energized by said limit valve only during the inoperative return stroke of said carriage. I

3. In a lathe having a carriage and a cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison; a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive t a, constant fluid delivery source, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and responsive to a variable tracer controlled fluid, a hydraulic,

9 valve housing to intermittently actuate said movable means.

4. In a lathe having a carriage and a cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison; a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive to a constant fluid delivery source, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and responsive to a variable tracer controlled fluid, spaced dogs on said carriage, a hydraulic limit valve including a reciprocal control element with its opposite ends alternately engageable by said dogs joined to said fluid source and adapted for selectively delivering a pressure fluid, and a hydraulically actuated direction reverse valve interconnecting said source and said carriage motor and responsive to pressure fluid from said limit valve actuating said reverse valve for effecting automatic reversals of said carriage motor.

5. In a lathe having a carriage and a cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive to a variable tracer controlled fluid, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and responsive to a constant fluid delivery source, spaced dogs on said cross slide motor, a hydraulic limit valve including a reciprocal control element with its opposite ends alternately engageable by said dogs joined to said fluid source and adapted; for selectively delivering a pressure fluid, and a hydraulically actuated direction reverse valve intermediate said source and said cross slide mo= tor and responsive to pressure fluid from said limit valve actuating said reverse valve for efiecting automatic reversals of said cross slide motor.

- 10 6. In a lathe having a carriage and a. cross slide thereon adapted to carry a cutter and a tracer relatively to a work piece and model rotatably indexed in unison, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said carriage and responsive to a I variable tracer controlled fluid, a reciprocal fluid motor joined to said cross slide and responsive to a constant fluid delivery source, a hydraulic limit valve including a reciprocal control element oppositely engageable by said cross slide for selectively delivering a pressure fluid, a direction reverse valve interconnecting said source and said cross slide motor and responsive to pressure fluid from said limit valve, hydraulic tracer reversing valve means adapted to be energized only during the inoperative return stroke of said cross slide, and a fluid conduit interconnectin said limit valve and said valve means. MANUEL TURCHAN. CURTIS WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES FATS Number Name Date 1,970,181 Monroe Aug. 1%, 193% 2,020,765 Breitenbach Nov. l2, 1935 2,130,627 Kelly Sept. 20, 1938 2,143,348 Greene Feb. 21, 1939 2,313,849 Turchan Mar. 16, 1M3 2,330,890 Horlacher Oct 5, EMS 2,332,532 R/oehm Get. 26, 1943 2,374,7li Turchan May 1, 1945 2,376,405 Turchan y 22, 10% 2,3893% Sparks Nov. 27, 3945 2,390,566 Turchan me 11, 19 35 

